Johnny Weir is OFFICIALLY retiring, but that's not the last we've seen of the 29-year-old figure skater!

He JUST announced his retirement on the TODAY show, and we're strangely fine with it…. because he then shared his plans to work with NBC at the 2014 Sochi Olympics!!

Russia's anti-gay laws be damned!!

Here's what he said:

"It is surreal writing about my career as if it had happened to someone else and to actually write the words, 'I am retiring from competitive figure skating.' I have cried my way through writing this entire column not because I am sad, or that I'll miss training or falling or being so nervous I thought my head would explode, or starving or the glory of victory or the agony of defeat, I cry because of the memories that have shaped my life."

Johnny's been a staple on our Olympic figure skating team for a long while now, and we truly are bummed to see him go!

He continued:

"At twenty-nine, it is odd to explain to the average Joe that I am retiring. While my retirement surely isn't a shock to the skating world, I have been able to become a sort of face for my sport to people who rarely watch it, and I always quickly follow up the statement of 'I'm retiring from competition' with the truth that I will continue to skate and perform as long as my body will allow me and that I pass my presence in the competitive ranks on to some genius upstart, the youth that keeps the Olympics and sports alive. While I am not old, part of being a champion is knowing when your time is up."

Not only is Johnny the 2008 World bronze medalist, the 2001 World Junior Champion and three-time U.S. national champion, a two-time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, but he's also been an extremely positive force for the LGBT community!

Here's what he had to say about Russia's offensive laws:

"I'm a gay American and I married into a Russian family. While this law is a terrible thing that you can't be gay publicly in Russia . . . I plan to be there and not be afraid. Our presence is needed."

AMAZEBALLZ!

It makes it even MORE personal that he's with Victor Voronov, so we're glad he's going to represent us!

i will never understand what one's sexual preference has to do with anything other than very personal feelings one has for another person. None of my business. And I am truly not interested since it makes no difference in how well you perform your sport.